Veteran Salute: Relaying radio overseas in Vietnam
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MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Originally from Madison, Kansas, Army Sergeant Bob Harlan would serve overseas in the middle of the growing Vietnam conflict.
Graduating from Kansas State University in the late 1960’s, Harlan knew the draft was calling his name.
“To avoid going into the infantry, they give you the option of changing your draft to an enlistment, which I did,” Harland said, “and that’s how I got into the radio relay operator side of it.”
In that radio relay role, Harlan would connect soldiers all across the country.
“We would set up on a site,” Harlan said, “they would run their lines from their field telephones into our band, and then we would broadcast it over the air back to the next station or wherever. So we provided the communications for the different groups.”
Making communications happen in that manner during that time period was pivotal for everyday operations.
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“It was so much more important then, because it was way before cell phones or anything like that,” Harlan said. “It took more equipment like that to make the communications between sites, so the troops could be coordinated, artillery fire or whatever. That side of the communications was really important so everybody knew.”
He wouldn’t stay in that role for long though, taking his skills to the Motor Pool Dispatch. When Harlan returned stateside to Fort Riley, he’d serve as a Team Leader in radio equipment, until a unique opportunity presented itself.
“First infantry division was getting geared up for Reforger,” Harland said, “which is the return of forces to Germany. They needed to build up their manpower a little bit for that, so then I was transferred to first infantry division in the signal unit. Drove to Forge air force base and loaded them on a C130, and they flew us to Germany for that. That was quite a trip too.”
Harlan would continue supporting the troops after his time in the military came to an end. Working in Marysville on projects like a trailer for the military, and as the inspector for aircraft deicers for the air force.
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